U.S. Army photoCol. Stephen E. Spelman, left, a candidate for Hampden district attorney, and Chief Trial Judge Zuhayr Abd Al-Sahib, of the Central Criminal Court of Iraq, attend a presentation ceremony for a new courthouse and administration buildings.

Among that service was being senior military officer in Baghdad at the Law and Order Task Force, chief of the U.S. Army Trial Defense Service and Army Reserve Deputy Commander of the U.S. Army Legal Command.

When candidates were asked about “prosecutorial strategy with respect to quality of life in Springfield” Spelman talked in military terms.

“People feel as though they are living in a war zone. The tough law and order strategies that we used in Iraq, a society under extraordinary stress, will work here in Springfield and other places in Hampden County that are not under that kind of stress,” Spelman said.

Mastroianni, during one of his turns to speak, said, “I’m happy to tell you Springfield is not a war zone,” he said.

“Springfield is not that bad and you don’t apply military law to Springfield. It’s an amazing city. You accentuate the positive,” he said.

Spelman had not said anything about military law.

Mastroianni said, “You of course recognize that there’s terrible problems in Springfield that are extremely isolated. If you look at the map you can put a pin on the sections of Springfield where the majority of crime comes from and you focus on those areas and you get into those areas with innovative programs.”

He said that you don’t do it by “disparaging Springfield to scare people to cross the line to come in.”

Kogut said, “We have great sections of the city and I agree it is not a war zone. It is not Baghdad and people do not feel that they’re powerless.”

He said that the district attorney is a leader who should not go into the office “feeling full despair and powerless, that military law has to be imposed in the city.” Kogut said if that happens, “You better watch out,” saying people will leave Springfield.

Goodhines said that the guns and drugs area is “foremost front” in the district attorney’s office.

As for the city, “I don’t consider it a war zone to the extent that we need to be afraid of living in Springfield or afraid of being in parts of Springfield,” he said.

Buoniconti did not use a military analogy, saying he wants a community approach to fighting crime.

He challenged people to go to Clyde Street at noon each day and see that the mothers of children living in the homes on that street do not let their children play in Kenefick Park.

He said that is because “the mother’s of Clyde Street will not put their children at risk because of the drug dealing armed gangs on the other side of the park.”

“Sit here and ask yourself where in this town will I feel conformable tonight going for a 45 minute walk on my own,” Spelman said. “There are places that are great, there are places that are not. The places that are not are poisoned by guns and drugs.”

Vottero said in his closing, “I don’t mind making a comparison to the war in Iraq in this instance. The surge was pretty controversial but the point was this - we’re not giving up the war, were changing the tactic.”